Automatic fire-extinguisher



(No Model.) I H. S. PARMELEE.

AUTOMATIC FIRE EXTINGUISHER.

Patented Dec.1Q, 1882.

Fig.1

WITNESSES.

INVE NTORI rm cat HENRY S. PARh'IELEE, OF NE? HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

AUTOMATiC FIRE-EXTINGUISH ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 269,227, dated December 19, 1882.

Application filed May 23, 1881.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HENRY S. PARMELEE, ofthe city and county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Automatic Fire-Extinguishers; and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specilication.

. This invention has reference to an improvement in a system for automatically extinguishing fires; and it consists in providing a system of pipes connected with the. streetmain or other source'ot'water-supply with distributers, closed air-tight and constructed to be opened by the action of heat, and an air-pump, and maintaining within such system of pipes an air-pressure equal to the water-pressure at the lower level of the system, so that the whole system is free from valves or other obstructions, and on the release of one or more of the extinguishers the water will flow into the pipes and out of the extinguishers.

The invention further consists in a novel device for releasing an alarm without obstructing the pipes,as will be more fully set forth hereinafter.

In a system for extinguishing fires automatically the absolute certainty that on the breaking out of a fire the same will be extinguished without the shadow of a doubt, and without any question as to the certainty of the operation of the devices, insures a far greater security than when complicated valves,diaphragms, check-valves, and other devices have to be operated by a change in the normal conditions, which, from some cause, may at the breaking out of a fire fail to act, having been tampered with, or in the course of time become fixed or inoperative.

The object of this invention is to eliminate all fixtures from the system of pipes, and thus insure an unobstructed water-passage and secure the certain working of the system.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the interior of a building protected against fire by my improved system. Fig. 2 is an enlargedview, showing in section my improved device for operating an alarm.

In the-drawings,a represents the water-sup- (Xo model.)

I ply main,.into whicln at any convenient place, a valve or gate is placed, by which the water may be shut off after a fire or when repairs or alterations on the system are required; but this valve or gate is to' be left open at all other times, and is to be so situated or secured that it cannot be tampered with by any unauthorized person.

bis the risingmain.

ccarethedistributing-mains, tothe branches of which the automatic extinguishers are secured.

c is the automatic device by which any suitable alarm may be operated. It is secured to the rising main. but does not obstruct the flow of water through the same. i

f represents an air-pump for supplying the counterbalance the water-pressure and prevent the water from entering the system of pipes.

The valve g 9 (shown in Fig. 2) may be in- .terposed between the main and the device 6; or the same may be connected without the use of valves.

The device 0 consists of a case, made air and 'water tight, in which the float h is placed. This float is connected by the arm h to the rock-shaft t, w hich passes through a stuifingbox to the exterior of the case, and has the arm secured to its outer part. The arm k is provided near its end with a hole or a fork, which passes over the pin 1 projecting from the arm l .The button m, connected by a wire or cord with an alarm, is placed on the pin I. When, now, one or more of the automatic fire-extinguishers (Z d are released so as to discharge the air the water will at once enter the mains, and as soon as it reaches the lower connection with the device 0 .will enter the same. Expelling the air by the upper connection, will raise the float h, and thereby partially rotate the rock-shaft The arm 70 will push the button m from the pin land the alarm will be released, and either by the falling of a weight suspended by a wire or cord secured to the button m, or by the pressure of steam, air, or other means released by the button m, an alarm will be given.

The device 0 may be used with any system which is inits normal condition filled with air,

system of pipes with air under pressure, to

and into which the water is allowed to flow when one or more extinguishers are in operation. By the use of air under sufficient pressure to counterbalance the water-pressure, and constructing the system withoutvalvcs or other devices which may stick or become inoperative, much greater security is obtained than was possible in systems as heretofore constructed.

I am aware of Patent No. 171,305, granted to Newton, December 21, 1875, and do not claim in this application anything therein shown or described.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that my system of pipes connecting the water-main with the distributer-nozzles or the branches to which these nozzles are fitted is ventirely unobstructed by valves or cocks, and

that water is confined to the water-main solely by the pressure of air contained within the system; and I. wish it understood that Imake no claim herein to a fire-extinguishing system in which a valve is interposed between the water-main or water-supply and the pipe or pipes connecting said water-supply with the distributer-nozzles.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Iatent- 1; A fire-extinguisher for buildings in which the water-supply main is connected with the distributing -nozzles by a system of unobstructed or valveless pipes containing air under sufficient pressure normally to exclude Water from the system and confine it to the supply-main, substantially as described.

2. A fire-extinguisher for buildings wherein the water-supply main is connected with the distributing nozzles by a system of unobstructed or valveless pipes which normally contain air under sufficient pressure to ex clude water from the system and confine it to the supply-main, in combination with an airt'orcing apparatus, substantially as described.

3. The combination,.with a system of open, unobstructed mains or pipes connecting the water-supply with the extinguishers, ofa pump to supply air to the system, and the device e, constructed to release an alarm, as described.

4. In combination with a system of pipes connecting the water-supply with a number of automatic fire-extinguishers, the device 6,001]- sisting of a water and air tight case, a float connected with a rock-shaft on the outer projection of which the arm k is secured, constructed to release the button m when the float is raised by the water, as described.

HENRY S. PARMELEE.

Witnesses:

JAMES GARDNER CLARK, J. A. MILLER, Jr. 

